Electric traction on the surface-contact system.



D. SUGHOSTAUER.

BLEOTBIO TRAGTION 0N TEE SURFAOE CONTACT SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. s, 190e.

913,782. Patenteamanz, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

mnmw.. @www g l @gf/M7 D. SUGHOSTAUER. ELECTRIC TRACTION 0N THE SURFACE CONTACT SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAB. 5, 190e.

9.1 3,782. Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITE @TATS PATENT Ollbitllil.

DAWID SUOHOSTAUER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC TRACTION ON THE SURFACE-CONTACT SYSTEM.

To @ZZ 'whom fait may concern.:

Be it known that l, Dawn) Si'cnosratna, a subject of the Emperor ot' laistria-lrlunl gary, residing at London, England, havel in.'ented certain new and useful linprovel ments in Electric rFraction on the Surtace- S Contact System, and of which the t'ollowing is a. specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the surface contact system of electric traction for vehicles running` on rails, by which the necessary insulated conductors and studs or switch mechanisms can be built in sections or self-contained units, each complete in itself, all ready to be placed in position, and connected with one another' by tensile screw couplings interacting`- with the conductor sections themselves, so that the system may be applied to existing tramways or rail fays without disturbing the rails ot' the permanent Yay, or necessitating the complete reconstruction thereof.

The invention Yfurther relates to the construction hereafter described ot shoe or skate carried by the car to contact with the studs on the permanent way, magnetically operate the switch mechanism. and collect the current.

According to this invention l construct a number of similar boxes or troughs ot' insulating material ot' suitable length, ot' which the sides or the tops,` or both, are. removable. The ends ot the boxes are pei-torated to yallow the passage. ot an electric conductor which extends axially throughout each box, and projects through the perforated ends. he screw-tlncaded ends ot each conductor interact with tensile screw couplings in the torni ot' internally screwthreaded sleeves, and each conductor is further provided within the box with nuts interacting with the ends of the box, so that the conduct-ors ot' adjoining boxes may be mechanically and electrically connected with each other and the adjoining boxes may also be mechanically connected by one and the same series of tensile couplings interacting with conductor sections themselves, and the ends ot' the boxes brought together firmly by the same action. Vilas-:hers of indiarubber or other suitable material are placed between the abutting ends ot the boxes, or a short section of boxing or troughing may receive the adjacent ends, and the joint be made water-tight by filling with a suitable plastic cement. lVhen complete, l

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application tiled March 5, 1908.

the conductor forms an insulated line wire, and is connected in any well known way to a source oi" electrical energy.

Vthe exterior or upper surfaces o't some or all of the boxe-1 carry metallic contact studs atsuch a level that a skate, shoe, or contact maker carried upon a vehicle traveling upon the rails, will rub upon and make electrical contact with the said studs. For a double line ot rails there may be two lines of contact studs placed to snit vehicles cn the two lines ot' rails. in which case the boxes are laid between the two linesl of rails. The hingitudinal spacing oil." the studs is so related to the length ot the. skates or collectors upon the vehicles, that contact is not broken with one stud unlil it has been made with at least one other. The. contact studs are normally disconnected lroin the conductor or line wire in the boxing beneath them, but cach is provided with a contact surt'ace,

so disposed that a conducting rocker orv switch arm connected to the line wire and tree to turn about it, contacts with the said line wire. upon turning. Or the switch arm. may be carried by the stud, and turn upon a pivot to make contact with the line wire. ln either caf-1e the rocker or switch arm is made ot magnetic material, such as wrought iron. or is connected to a piece ot such material, and the. vehicle is t'urnished with or carries a magnet` so disposed that when the magnet is over a stud. and the skate and collector in contact therewith, the switch arm or rocker is magnetically moved into the position ot contact, and the vehicle thus supplied with electrical energzy. On the passing away o'tl the. magnet, t-he switch arm, acted upon by gravity, resumes its normal position` in which the contact stud is disconnected trom the line wire.

The car or other vehicle intended to travel upon a train vay or railway equipped with the surface contact system herein described, is provided with a skate. so arranged as to overhangI the line ot' studs and to make contact with them by its lower surface. This contacting surface is provided with a series otrollers which make act-ual contact with the studs.

The under-surface ot theI shoe also carries suitable means, preferably squeegees, for cleaning the surfaces of the studs, and may also carry forward and rearward inclined plates for removing` obstructions from the path o't' the skate.

, contact.

The rollers and t-he frame, or sole plate from which they are carried, form part of a magnetic circuit excited by an electro-magnet or magnets, and so disposed that the magnetic ield produced, ett'ects the required movement of the rockers or switch arms and the connection of the line wire to the contact studs, and through them to the shoe or skate, and so to the electrical equipment of the car.

The accompanying drawings show forms ot construction suitable for application to a railway, which embody the essential features of my invention. For tramway use the form of construction is modiied to suit the permanent way and pavement structure.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a length and a portion of an adjacent length, ot' boxing or troughing containing a length ot line wire, and showing a joint, with a single stud carried by the top cover, and a rocker or switch arm attached to the line wire. Fig. 2 is a vert-ical cross section of a boxing arranged to carry two sets of studs for a double line of rails. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing an exam ple where the switch arms are carried by the contact stud. Fig. a is a vertical cross section of a shoe or skate and magnet carried by the car, and a stud and rocker making Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation showing the contact-making part of the skate, the contacting rollers, a squeegee, and a guard plate.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the trough or boxing 1 is shown in this case ot' a rectangular cross section, with a removable top or cover 2, but I may utilize other sections and make one side, or one side and the top, removable, as may be most convenient for application, or for economical manufacture. rlhe material of the boxing may be earthenware, slate, glass, wood, or any other suitable insulating material, or sheet or cast metal suitably lined and bushed. The conductor or line wire 3 having screwed ends, is threaded through the box 1 by way of holes formed in its ends, and the screwed end of one conductor 3 of one box is connected rto the screwed end of the other conductor of the next box as shown at Fig. 1, by means of a screwed ferrule or sleeve 4, and nuts 5 are provided, which may be caused to bear up against the interior ends of the box. 6 is a washer of india-rubber or other suitable material, located between the adjacent ends of the boxes 1 so as to be compressed thereby, and to make a water-tight joint. I may, at the joint between two boxes, employ a larger or U-shaped piece or socket 7 (Figs. 1 and 2), to receive the ends of the boxes, and then I may run in cement or luting to further secure and complete the joint. 1n the construction shown at Fig. 1, the line wire within a box carries for each contact stud a saddle or ring S clamped to the wire 3, and to this saddle are pivoted arms 9 formed with a head 10 to compose the rocker or switch arm, the arms and head of this switch arm being composed of magnetic metal. The head 1() of the switch arm may carry a plate of carbon or other suitable conducting material 11 to contact with the underside of the contact stud 12 mounted in the lid or top of the box 1. The head 10 of the switch arm is made with downwardly extending wings 13, which pass astride the conductor 3 and limit the normal position of the switch arm. It will be understood that the box may be made of a length to carry any suitable number of contact studs 12 and to contain their corresponding switch arms, and the latter, when attracted by the magnetization or' the contact stud 12, turn in a vertical plane about the pivot on the saddle 8, so that when moved upwards, the contact surface block or plate 11 strikes the under-surface of the stud 12. Normally the switch arm remains in the horizontal position shown at Fig. 1 under the action of gravity. The contact stud 12 is of iron. rllhe magnet carried by the car is so disposed as to produce an attraction between the contact stud 12 and the head 10 of the switch arm, in virtue of which the switch arm rises into the contact-making position, and the contact stud 12 is thereby electrically connected to the line wire, permitting a current to pass to the collector or skate on the car; on the removal of the magnet carried by the car, the switch arm falls back to the position shown at Fig. 1 and leaves the contact stud` 12 disconnected. At Fig. 2 the rockers or switch arms are shown at right angles to the line wire, and in Fig. 1 parallel to it; the arrangement shown at Fig. 2, is, however, most suitable for a double line of contact studs 12 corresponding to a double line of rails. In the construction illustrated by way of example, the arms 9 of the rockers are pivoted upon opposite sides of the line wire 3 to a saddle 8, and extend at right angles to the line wire. Any desirable means may be employed to regulate the normal position of the said switch arms, the means shown in the illustration consisting in the arms 9 being formed with tail parts 1li which bear up against the line wire 3 and prevent any further descent of the switch arms.

In some cases as before explained, the switch arm may be carried by the contact stud instead oi by the line wire, and an illustration. of such a construction is shown at Fig. 3, where a tubular plunger 15 of iron is fitted, free to move vertically upon a stem or spindle 16 of non-magnetic metal, the said spindle extending downward from a contact stud 12. The lower end of the spindle 16 is screwed into a retaining ring 17 on the interior of the top of the box 1,' and this ring is slotted and carries two arms t) on pirots 9X. The arms i) carry heads 1t), and the tails ot the arms 9 extend into a groote or recess in the tubular plunger 15. T he arms 9 and the heads 10 are in eiectricad connection with the retaining ring` 1?, d'ith this construction, when the contact stud lf3 .becomes magnetized, the tubular plunger 15 will be drawn upward and the ri s caused to descend. until their heads ttt contact with the line wire. The essential teature ot this part ot my invention is. that each .length of boxing with its conductor` studs and switches, may be fitted up and brought complete to the place where it is to be fixed, and may be then jointed up with the minimum ot interference to the existing permanent way and tratlic on the line.

rEhe skate or coilector which is carried by the car to contact with the studs and magnetically operate the switch mechanism. constructed as shown at Figs. l and 5. where 1S .is an electro-magnet 15 being the winding thereot-carried trom som part if) otl the ear, so that a pole ot a magnet 15% oyerhangs the line ot contact studs 1*?. on the surt'ace of lthe box 1. The outer pole 'lace oi the magnet 1S is titted with. side plates slotted as at 22. Fig. 5. to carry the neclts oi a succession of small rollers 233. rFliese rollers make contact with the upper surfaces ot the Contact studs 12. and act as current coilectors for the electrical equipment ot the car, it being understood that the length ot the skate and the distance apart ot the studs are so regulated. that the skate roilers do not leave one contact stud 'bet'ore contacting with the next one. When over the contact studs, the rollers will be magnetically attracted onto the stud heads` and so malte the tirmer electrical contact. while yielding easiiy to any small obstacle encznmtered. The skate is Fit-ted with a sqneegee 24 oi india-rubber or other suitable material. and also carries a guard plate *25 inclined tor-fard the direction ot motion. The el Aotro-unignet may be excited by a single or double coil or winding 19 as shown. and when in operation, the currentemployed tor exciting the magnet is derived from the line wire. rPhe boxes may be arranged as indicated at Fig. 1, or they may be constructed so as to be laid level with the surface ot the road. and they may be located centrally ot' the way between two pairs ot' rails, o r they may only carry a single line of contact studs and then may be located adjacent to a line ot rails. while a similar series ot a single line4 contactI studs in such boxes may be arranged adjacent to the other pair of rails. Upon a 'vehicle being about to start. the shoe ntay be temporarily magnetized through seine convenient source of electricity7 and then upon the Vehicle moving so that the shoe is brought into contact' with the tirst contact stud ot' the permanent way. the magnetism ot the shoe will be aii'ected troni the current derived from the line wire.

What. l claim as my invention and desire to secure by patent is:-

l. in electric traction on the surface coutact system 'tor Vehicles ruiming on rails, the combination with a magnetized collector. carried by the car, of a number ot lengths ot box-like structures placed end to end in the permanent way. cach constituting a sel't-contained unit. and each including a closed box ot insulating material. an electric conductor in the Vform ot a corresponding length ot line wire extendingl lengthwise through said box and haring scre\\'threaded ends. and nuts upon said ends within the box in contact with the box ends. tensile srcw couplings by which the conductors ot adjoining units are niechanicaily and electrically connected endwise aud the adjoiuingboxes are mechanically connected eudwise: metallic contact studs ou the upper surt'ace otl the unitsj and niagnetically operated switches to connect said contact studs with said electric conductors during the contact otl said collector with said studs.

2. in electric traction on the sui-tace contact system for Vehicles runningl ou rails; the combination with a magnetized collector carried by the car; ot a number ol lengths ot box-like structures placed end to end in the permanent way. each consisting ot a trough-- shaped box. a cover to close the open part ot same. an electric conductorextending lengthwise through said box and projecting'tl.rough the ends of same. metallic contact studs on the upper surface of said box. and magnetically operated piroted switch arms within said box to connect said contact studs with said electric conductor during the contacts ot' said collector with said studs, screwthreads tortned on the ends of said electric conductor. an internally screwed sleeve lto connect the f-crcwed ends ot' the coiulnctor ot one box to the ends ot the conductors ot adjacent boxes. and a resilient washer placed around each ot said sleeves and located between the adjacentends ot' each two boxes to form a water-tight joint.

3. .ln electric traction on the surface contact system for vehicles running on rails; the combination with a nuignetized collector carried by the. car; of a number ot lengths ot' box-like structures placed end to end in the permanent| 'ay. each consisting of a troughshaped box. a cover to close the open part of same. an electric conductor extending lengthwise. through said box and projecting through the ends of same, metallic contact studs on the upper surface ot' said box, a saddle fixed on said electric conductor within said box, arms pivoted on said saddle, and a- Contact head carried at the tree ends of said arms to contact with the under-stu'lface ot a contact stud when magnetically attracted thereto by the passage or' the magnetized collector over the contact stud, screw-threads formed on the ends of' said electric conductor, an internally screwed sleeve to connect the screwed ends of the conductor of one box to the ends of the conductors of adjacent boxes, and a resilient washer placed around each of said sleeves and located between the adjacent ends of each two boxes to form a watertight joint.

4t. ln electric traction on the surface contact system for Vehicles running` on rails; the combination with a magnetized collector carried by the car; of a number' of lengths of box-like structures, each open at the top and placed end to end in the permanent way, a cover to close the open part of each box, contact studs on the outer surface of said cover, and shanks from said contact studs extending to the inner face of said cover, an electric conductor extending lengthwise and axially through each box and passing through the end walls thereof, means for mechanically and electrically connecting the ends of the conductors of the adjacent boxes and 'orforming a watertight joint, and magnetically operated pivoted switch arms wit-hin said box to connect said contact studs Vith said electric conductor during the contact of said collector with said studs.

In electric traction on the surface contact system for Vehicles running on rails; a current collector consisting` of the combination of an electro magnet carried from the car, means for electrically exciting said magnet, side plates on the end of the pole of said magnet orerhanging the contact studs of the permanent way, said plates having Vertical slots, and a number of small magnetic metal rollers j ournaled in said slots of said side plates so as to be capable of Vertical moyement when said rollers contact with said contact studs for magnetically 0perating electric switches.

6. In electric traction on the surface contact system for Vehicles running on rails; a current collector consisting or the combination of an electro magnet carried from the car, ieans tor electrically exciting said magnet, side plates on the end of the pole of said magnet overhanging the contact studs of the permanent way, said plates having vertical slots, a number of small magnetic nietal rollers journaled in said slots of said side plates so as to be capable of vertical movement when said rollers contact with said contact studs for magnetically operating electric switches, a squee-gee mounted at each end of said collector, and an inclined guard plate at each end or' said collector.

7. ln electrictraction on the surface contact system for Vehicles running on rails; the combination with a current collector composed of an electro-magnet carried from the car, means for electrically exciting said magnet, side plates on the end of the pole of said magnet oyerhanging the contact studs of the permanent way, and a number of small magnetic metal rollers carried between said side plates to contact with the contact studs of the permanent way; of a number of lengths of box-like structures placed end to end in the permanent way, each consisting of a trough-shaped box, a cover to close the open part of same, an electric conductor extending lengthwise through said box, metallic contact studs on the upper surface of said box, and magnetically operated switches to connect said contact studs with said electric conductor during the contact of said collector with said studs, and means for mechanically and electrically connecting the ends of the conductors of the adjacent boxlike structures.

.ln witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

De, VD SUCHOSTAUER.

litnesses Jos Roeofrr, VM. A. MARSHALL. 

